6 Reasons You Should Get Certified in Pet First Aid

Getting certified in pet first aid is one of the best things I’ve done as a pet parent.

The knowledge came in real handy that time my hubby and I hiked 6 miles into the woods to camp with Chester and Gretel. Chester got bit by so many mosquitoes that his face swelled like a balloon. After a moment of panic, I was able to gather my thoughts and take control of the situation.

Chester scraped his paw on that trip too. It was the first time it had ever happened in all of our years of hiking. I was able to clean it up and decide that he would be fine to walk out if I cut the extra flap of skin off.

Pet first aid training also helped me when Gretel ate chocolate. I had her tethered to the seat belt in her car seat and ran into the store for a minute. I had placed my newly purchased, 3 oz. dark chocolate truffle in the back seat where she couldn’t reach it. What I didn’t realize is that the seatbelt can be stretched and extended when the car is not on. And stretch she did… right to my chocolate truffle. I knew to try and induce vomiting with hydrogen peroxide and take her to the emergency vet. After a scary night at home of a racing heart (hers and mine) and muscle spasms (hers), she was ok… thankfully.

If I hadn’t been trained in pet first aid, I wouldn’t have been able to pull it together and take action after the initial panic. I wouldn’t have had everything I needed to handle mishaps in my first aid kit. I wouldn’t have felt confident enough to induce vomiting in Gretel to help reduce her toxic reaction to the chocolate.

My training has even helped others. After Gretel’s incident with the chocolate, I wrote a blog post about it. A couple of months ago my friend was staying at my house while I was out of town. Her dog ate some chocolate. She remembered my article, looked it up, induced vomiting in her dog (with the hydrogen peroxide I had on hand for situations just like that), and everything turned out OK. I also know I can help other people if their dog gets injured while hiking or traveling and I share what I know here on this blog. It’s all thanks to my years of pet first aid training.

(Hover Over This Image to Pin)

Top 6 Reasons for Taking a Pet First Aid Training

I think all pet owners should be trained in pet first aid becauuse:

It increases your confidence – Knowledge is power. Once you have been properly trained to handle pet emergencies, you’ll be more likely to feel you can handle anything that might come up.

Because your pets deserve the best – You want your pets to have the best care and that starts at home. Knowing how to assess and address an injury or illness between when it happens and when you can get them to a vet can save your pet’s life.

You and your pet can be more adventurous – Sometimes adventures take you off the beaten path. Whether you are visiting a tiny seaside town or hiking 5 miles into the woods to camp, you may not always be near a veterinary clinic during open hours or even near one at all. With pet first aid training, you can assist your pet until you can get them expert medical attention.

You’ll learn to recognize symptoms before something goes wrong – Being educated about symptoms of shock, hypothermia, dehydration, etc. can help you catch the condition in the early stages before the situation reaches emergency levels.

You’ll know how to use what’s in your pet first aid kit – You researched everything that should be in a first aid kit, or bought one specifically for pets, but do you know how to properly splint a broken leg or apply a compress so it will actually help stop the bleeding? The contents of your first aid kit may be useless if you don’t know how to properly apply them to wounds.

A pet first aid class is the best investment you can make in your pet’s health… and it’s inexpensive – Pet first aid classes are one of the least expensive investments you can make in your pet’s health. For example, the super thorough, one-day pet first aid class offered by Metro Dog in Seattle is $149 and the certification is good for 3 years. That’s only $50 a year, or less than 14 cents a day, for something that might save your pets life or save you money on vet bills.

Not only have I used my pet first aid training to help my pets, and those of my friends, but I consider that it may have saved my life too in the case of Chester’s allergic reaction deep in the woods. By the time my Hubby and I got to camp, we were hungry and tired. Our first reaction once we saw Chester’s swelled face was to pack everything up and start hiking quickly back to the trailhead in the dark.

I know a bit about search and rescue and I know that heading out into the woods when you can’t see, you are tired and hungry, and you are being pushed by your emotions, is a recipe for disaster. That’s how people get lost and die. My pet first aid training allowed me to take a step back, calmly assess the situation and also know exactly what dose of Benadryl to give Chester. After a bit, the swelling started to go down and he started feeling better. We decided to stay put and everything worked out. Who knows what danger we might have put ourselves in if we had hurried out of there in a panic.

Where to Get Pet First Aid Certified

Finding a pet first aid class can be a challenge in some areas of the country. There isn’t one offered in some places. In others, someone decided to teach a class but they lost interest and no longer offer them.

I’m lucky in Seattle. Pet First Aid Seattle, offered by Metro Dog, has highly-trained instructors and offers regular classes. Their instructors are trained through the nationally-recognized Walks ‘N’ Wags Pet First Aid program. It’s THE most comprehensive pet first aid class you will find in the state and they typically offer classes once a month. I highly recommend this class.

The classes are so thorough that the course is the top choice among most pet professionals. The information in the class is great for pet owners who want to be super prepared to handle little emergencies with their own pet too though. This class has received the Animal Wellness Magazine Stamp of Approval and a Modern Dog Fave Find.

To sign up for a pet first aid class in Seattle with Metro Dog, or to find out more, email PetFirstAid@MetroDogSeattle.com or call 206-284-3647 (DOGS). You can also sign up to be notified of their upcoming classes here.

If you don’t live in Seattle, your best bet is usually to search Google for “Pet First Aid Classes in (insert your town here)”. The Red Cross used to offer super basic pet first aid class but I know they don’t in Seattle anymore. You can always ask your local pet groomer or dog walker where they got their training.

Have you ever taken a pet first aid class?

Full disclosure: I’ve taken several different pet first aid classes. By far, the one from Metro Dog (the trainers are certified by Walks ‘N’ Wags Pet First Aid out of Vancouver, BC) is the best class I’ve ever taken. I love that class so much that they hired me to help them market the class to the local community. I would have enthusiastically recommended it as THE class to take if you are in the Seattle area whether I helped them with marketing or not.

Be Sure to Sign Up!

You'll never miss an article from us about dog health, dog friendly travel, and camping and hiking with dogs. Sometimes we have giveaways too.

First NameE-Mail Address

About Jessica Rhae

Jessica, aka. The Dachshund Lady, lives and breathes everything Dachshund, hiking and camping with dogs, and blogging. Given her cumulative 25 years of owning Dachshunds, studying the breed, and organizing an 800-member Dachshund club, she's considered a breed expert by many. Jessica's dogs have been her best hiking and camping buddies for the last 16 years. She started this blog in 2010 to share what she knows. She's since won several industry awards and become one of the premier blogging experts in the pet industry.

Hi Danielle. Yes I do. I listed my recommended place in reason #6 but realize it might not have been clear to some. I updated the post so the information is easier to find. I recommend Pet First Aid Seattle, offered by Metro Dog. The instructors are highly-trained and they offer regular classes (typically once a month). Their instructors are trained through the nationally-recognized Walks ‘N’ Wags Pet First Aid program. It’s THE most comprehensive pet first aid class you will find in the state. To sign up for a pet first aid class in Seattle with Metro Dog, or to find out more, email PetFirstAid@MetroDogSeattle.com or call 206-284-3647 (DOGS).

Excellent post Jessica. I thought I was well prepared with a few YouTube videos and always carrying my pet first aid kit (that friends and family made fun of) but I hadn’t thought about taking it a step further with a class. I’m going to check into local classes. Thanks!

Hi! I shared on my Facebook page and get some requests for Portland based classes, do you have a few in addition to Metro Dog or any that are free of charge to the community in Seattle? I’m going to include on my resource page. Thanks!

Thanks for sharing such great information (did not know about Gretel eating the dark chocolate, that is very scary). Mom found out about first aid courses for pets and should be doing something soon too. She used to be squeamish but not so much any more (guess it’s all her surgeries). She even did pretty good with Taffy’s dog bites. We hope to learn CPR and other important first aid for pets. Love Dolly

My Step Dad recently had heart surgery and he said any squeamishness or modesty issues he had went out the window. Ha, ha. I am sure your Mom can relate. Pet first aid training is important for all pets but especially those entering their golden years. Hope your Mom finds a class she likes.

Looking for Something?

Privacy Policy

This website may collect anonymous but general demographic information about you when you visit, click ads, or leave a comment. For more information, please read our detailed privacy policy.

Affiliate Disclosure

YouDidWhatWithYourWiener.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, audible.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, the owner of this site earns a commission from qualifying purchases.

Warning: The account for needs to be reconnected.Due to Instagram platform changes on June 1, 2020, this Instagram account needs to be reconnected to allow the feed to continue updating. Reconnect on plugin Settings page

I Am Not Your Vet….

I’m a passionate pet parent that shares what I know about Dachshunds and adventuring with small dogs. Some of what I share is researched facts; some of it is stuff I’ve learned through living with pets my whole life; and some of it is just good ol’ opinion. Please check with your veterinarian before your dog undertakes a new exercise routine, you introduce a new food, treat or supplement, or to confirm that anything I suggest here is a good fit for your dog.